


Fire in our Veins

by rejerito



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-07
Updated: 2013-05-18
Packaged: 2017-12-10 17:03:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/788227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rejerito/pseuds/rejerito
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-War Future!Fic: based on my own speculations about what could possibly happen after 3x05, spoilers and rumours.</p><p>Arya gets captured at Storm's End when she tries to kill Melisandre to avenge her brother Jon and ends up staying a few days with the Baratheons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was hungry. So hungry. They had left her a plate with some bread and cheese but she refused to eat. Everytime she looked at it her stomach would rumble and ache in protest asking her to _'take just one bite' 'just a very small one' 'nobody will notice it' 'nobody will know you did'_. But she would know. 

If the hunger was bad, the thirst was even worse. The wineskin was well closed but the faintest smell coming from the dried drops on the outside of the skin set her throat burning just imagining the sweet liquid filling her mouth in great gulps and then slowly running down her throat to finally quench her thirst. In that moment she damned the Faceless Men for ever helping her develop such sharp senses.

The times when the hunger and thirst became almost unbearable she just wanted to kick the food and everything as far away as possible just to ensure that she would not fall upon the hard bread and devour it like some wild animal.

But she would not do that. She might not have much physical strength left but she had always had a strong mind and the Faceless Man had taught her to strengthen that too. And she would rather die than giving in to her enemies and showing that she was weak.

They had her locked up in a humid dark cell, her wrists manacled and a short chain leading from them to the cold wall. Her ankles were also bound together so as to limit her movements as best as possible. The guards knew all too well what she was capable of and knew that she would try anything to escape. She had tried to free herself from the manacles the first day, well practiced in getting rid of the other castles' cheap steel, but this time she only ended up with a bruised wrist, almost breaking it.

That was why they had caught her in the first place. The good steel of that damned lock of the tower that just wouldn't open.

She should have known better...

This was _his_ castle now after all. She should have known that he would care about these things. Steel had been his trade after all, long before becoming an reckless outlaw, then a victorious soldier and now a _stupid_ perfumed Lord.

As if he had sensed her thinking about him, she heard the heavy footsteps nearing her cell and the guard outside unlocked the door. He stepped inside the dark room carrying a blinding torch.

He lit the two lamps on the wall with it and stepped closer to her, not too close, and glowered at her. "M'Lord Baratheon has come to see you, bitch." He spat on the floor and left.

_He_ stepped inside with two guards following him. He had a stern face and looked her straight in the eyes. She glared back at him defiantly.

He nodded to one of the guards to remove the plate and the skin, the man obeyed silently not taking his eyes off her, in case she decided to attack, and then walked back to his lord. The other guard had been carrying a covered tray, _'Full of more delicious smelling food, to be sure.'_ she thought, he made to step forth to put it on the floor but was stopped.

"I'll do it." The guard removed the lid so he could take the new skin and a bowl full with rich smelling stew.

_'Rabbit stew'_ she cursed as the smell hit her nostrils. Her stomach started to clench painfully with hunger and she tried her best to not let any emotion show.

"Leave us alone." she heard him say in a commanding voice.

"M'Lord? But-" one of the guards gasped, obviously fearing the safety of his master, but quickly shut his mouth when he saw his hard expression.

"Lock the door. No matter what you hear, do _not_ open it unless I tell you so."

Both guards left giving her one last fearful look. She liked that they still feared her even in the deplorable state she was in.

When she heard the door lock she took a good look at him. She had seen him before when they captured her but only a glimpse and he had been wearing armour. He had growed a beard and was very nicely clothed. Black breeches tucked into shiny black boots and a high buttoned black doublet, carefully embroidered with a golden yellow pattern and a proud stag across his heart. He had clearly taken a great effort in looking as regal as possible but his shaggy black hair still fell carelessly around his blue eyes. She almost laughed at that, almost, only she saw the fiery heart of R'hllor burning in his stag's chest.

"Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm's End." she recited mockingly sweet "Forgive me my manners, my lord, but I find it a bit hard to stand up and curtsey properly in my situation."

He ignored her and stepped closer until he was just out of reach of her.

"You are still not eating nor drinking." he took an exaggerated big sniff at the stew "Is rabbit still your favourite?"

_'Damn you!'_ her mouth would have watered if hadn't lost the ability.

He shoved the bowl within her reach. "You should try it." she glared murderously at him, she knew he had done it on purpose "I had some of it for supper. It tastes really good."

_'Supper?'_ How long had she been in here? It should have been first thing in the morning if she had counted correctly...

"Don't you want to get out of here?" he must have sensed her confusion "I most surely don't mean to keep you locked in this cell forever."

"Then why don't you just let me go?"

He was silent for a moment, as if he were waging whether she really meant that question or not. "You know I can't do that." he finally spoke "You killed five of my men."

"It was not them I meant to kill."

"You killed two more trying to escape after they had already chained you."

"Did they expect me to go down without a fight?"

"They never meant to hurt you. I commanded them to bring you to me right away. _Unharmed._ "

"And yet I ended in this shithole!" she spat venomous, shaking the chain on her wrists to give it more effect.

"Arya..." he sighed heavily. 

_'Don't! You have no right to say my name in that tone.'_ she caught herself just in time before she said it out loud.

"I couldn't very well leave these deaths unpunished."

"It was not _them_ I meant to kill." she repeated.

"I can't let you kill the Red Priestess." his voice turned dark and his eyes looked _dangerous_ like she never had seen them before.

"Why? Don't want to lose your mistress, my lord?" she asked sweetly. 

She had expected him to get mad and scream at her, tell her that it was not true, that they were only rumours he inherited along with the name his uncle Stannis gave him, but instead she was faced with a look of guilt and regret.

_'It can't be...'_ He had always been a bit stupid but surely he must have known better than _that_. The Gendry she knew would never do this.

"If you eat and promise not to kill any more people in this castle I'll explain it to you."

Arya was still speechless, trying to process that last information.

"Gendry... Are you _insane_?" he tried to interrupt her "How could you do this?" but she carried on "Playing with dark magic-"

"I am not _playing_!" he screamed angrily. This shut her up. "I know what I'm doing." he added more calm. "I'll explain after you eat."

"But how can you-?"

"I'll explain _after you eat_." he insisted "I promise."

And she really wanted to because she was literally starving, and she really wanted to believe him, but how could she believe in a fanatic of the Red God?

"I will _not_ eat." she gritted out through her teeth.

"Arya. If you don't eat you'll _die_." and in that moment she almost believed the desperation in his eyes.

"Better to die this way than in her fires. At least it will have been my choice."

" _Arya_... you _must_ eat." he pleaded.

"I must do nothing!" she was suddenly invaded by rage "Or what? Will _you_ make me?" she challenged him with an evil grin.

His face turned deadly now "I will if I have to."

She snorted at that and before she even knew what was happening, Gendry was grabbing Arya's face with one hand and pushing the opened wineskin into her mouth with the other. He had moved with such a speed that she doubted that even in her best shape she would have been able to react. She tried to fight him desperately, kicking and punching as hard as she could but he was just too strong. She tried to pull away from the skin but her traitorous mouth was too busy drinking as much water as she could. Thank the Gods it was water, wine would have surely burned her throat all the way to her stomach.

He didn't let go of her until she started to cough due to lack of air. She bent over and felt tears spring to her eyes while she continued coughing with effort to clear her airways. Gendry patted her back gently trying to soothe her but was rewarded with a painfull elbow to his stomach.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed with all her might "I _hate_ you!"

"You can't expect me to just let you die!" he screamed right back.

"Why would you ever care?!"

"Why would I care?!" he asked incredulous.

He pulled away and she saw him start to undo the upper buttons of his doublet with so much anger that she got scared. War turned all men into beasts and she was scared that this was really not the Gendry she had known all those years ago. Scared that he would have turned in one of the beast that liked to rip girl's clothes off and have their way with them. Scared that he would now force himself on her and she would obviously not be strong enough to fight him.

No. Arya was not scared. She was _terrified_. 

Gendry must have seen her fear, for he stopped his motions and looked at her. Confusion and his own fear showing in his eyes. Fear for all the terrible things that might have happened to her along the road all these years appart. She couldn't help flinching away when he tried to caress her cheek.

"I'm not going to hurt you." he said softly.

He reached inside his unbuttoned doublet and took out a leather chord with a small metal trinket he had hanging around his neck.

"Do you remember what this is?" he took the necklace off and offered for her to take it, so she could take a better look at it.

She accepted it warily and inspected the triangular shaped trinket carefully, running her finger around the edges.

"I blunted them so they wouldn't cut." _'Yes... I remember they used to be very sharp._

"This is one of Anguy's arrow heads..." Gendry nodded at that.

There was some strange symbol engraved on the surface but the arrow looked well worn and the metal was darkened from all the years. She rubbed her thumb over it trying to get out a bit of the black. She smiled when she made out the two horns.

"It's a bull."

When she looked up Gendry was smiling too. He turned it around in her palm so she could see the other side. This time she didn't need to clean it. Her head snapped up to look at him.

"A direwolf..." she felt tears start to form in her eyes.

She wanted to ask him so many things. _'Who?' 'Why?' 'When?'_. But everytime she tried to form the words with her mouth she found that she was unable to do so.

"I made it years ago when we were at Hollow Hill." he finally explained "I meant to give it to you as a goodbye, before you left for Riverrun, so you wouldn't forget me." he smiled sadly "But the Hound stole you and I never got the chance to give it to you."

She remembered it well. She had been so hurt when he decided to stay with the Brotherhood instead of staying with her. All these years she had thought that he didn't care for her as much as she had cared for him, but seeing her wolf and his bull now, she realized that she had been wrong. _'I was such a_ child _.'_

She felt Gendry wipe the tears from her face. "Here." he took the necklace from her "You should wear it from now on." and put it around her neck "It was always meant to be yours."

She tried to get closer to him then, but she felt a painfull tug on her wrists. She had totally forgotten about the chains.

"Do you promise not to kill _anybody_?"

She nodded and this time she meant to keep her word.

Gendry took the key from his pocket and unlocked the manacles and freed her ankles. She winced when the metal ceased its bite on her flesh. She was relieved when she finally felt him put his arms around her. All these days in this cell had numbed her body and she was so cold. _'And he is warm. So very warm...'_ She pressed her face to his chest and let her arms hug his midsection. She closed her eyes and felt his arms tighten around her.

They stayed like that for a while until her stomach decided to ruin the moment with a loud and painful rumble. She pressed her face deeper into his chest, too embarassed to let him look at her.

"Can I have some of that rabbit stew now?" she mumbled to his doublet.

She felt his whole chest shake with his chuckle. She liked it.

"You can have all the rabbit stew you want."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Gendry in this one. Sorry.  
> Shireen is based more on the cheerfull TV version (ain't she super cute!!) than the shy book version
> 
> P.D.: I started writing this fic before 3x06 was aired, so in this AU Gendry was not taken away by Melisandre. In my mind, Gendry stayed with the BWB until the Hound kidnapped Arya and THEN went to Melisandre in a desperate cry for help to get Arya back.

She felt the warm light and the light breeze coming from the window on her skin, but she was sure that was not what had woken her. She felt like she had slept a long time but she was still not ready to open her eyes and leave her featherbed.

She remembered how the day before Gendry had come to her cell and convinced her to finally eat. She had devoured the stew he brought her with as small bites as she could control herself. It had been five days since she'd last eaten and she was afraid her weak body would retch it all out again if she took bigger spoons. She let him help her to her feet and didn't even hit him when she saw the bright sunlight when they left the dungeons. She had been right and it was still morning and not late night like he had made her believe. "Can't blame me if you let me trick you." was all he said when she gave him an accusing look.

He led her to one of the guest rooms and she ate another bowl of the delicious stew while two maids prepared a hot bath for her. They insisted in helping her undress and bathe but she dismissed them asking them to check on her in an hour and to bring some ointments for her wrist. She quickly stepped out of her ratty clothes and threw them into the fire, no use washing them, they were ripped and full of holes all over. She loosened her braid and made for the water.

The temperature was perfect and she sighed as she leaned back into the tub. She dove her head under for a moment letting the water seep into all her pores. She scrubbed her skin raw until it turned pink and took special care in washing her hair, dirty dungeons were the perfect place to make unwanted acquaintance with fleas. She washed the soap out three times until all the grease was gone and then brushed it out carefully. Her hair had always tended to get messy and she found it was easier to untangle all the knots in the water. When she finished she squeezed it tightly to drain all the water and finally let herself relax.

The maids came back all to soon, carrying fresh clothes. She accepted a towel and waved them off again. She dried herself and applied the ointment from the maester while they emptied the tub. They left and assured to let her know in time for when lunch was ready. It was still early in the morning and she decided to just put on some smallclothes and a light tunic and have some much needed sleep until then.

But the sunlight coming from the window told her it was about the same time as when she went to sleep...

She heard a soft voice humming and she opened her eyes slowly _'There's someone in here.'_. Old habit made her tense up at the possibility of an enemy. She slightly moved her head, careful not to make a sound, and saw a girl sitting on a cushioned seat facing the window sewing on some piece of cloth. Arya sighed relieved and the black haired girl turned to look at her. She saw then that half the girl's face was invaded with grey skin and that she was in fact not really a girl but a young woman about her same age, if not younger. A very pregnant woman at that.

"Lady Arya! You're finally awake!" she greeted cheerfull "You have been sleeping for a whole day." She put the sewing aside and came to her bedside. She had a broad smile and the blue of her eyes were very familiar.

Arya was a bit overwhelmed with all the girl's excitement and didn't know what to say. The girl's smile faltered slowly.

"I'm sorry you missed yesterday's meal, but you were sleeping so peacefully that I didn't have the heart to wake you..." she said sheepishly.

_'Say something, stupid. She is trying to be nice and you are being rude.'_ "No, ehm... It's alright." she forced a small smile "I guess I'm still a little dopey from sleep..."

That must have worked for the girl's broad smile was back on her face.

"I was hoping you'd wake up soon, so we could have lunch together."

Arya was still a bit confused. She was sure she didn't know this girl but she was clearly happy to see her.

"Please forgive my manners, Gendry has told me so much about you that I feel like I already know you, but you obviously don't know who I am." she apologized "I'm the Lady Shireen Baratheon of Dragonstone."

_'Of course those were Baratheon blue eyes.'_ "You are Edric's wife." 

"My husband passed away a few months ago, my lady..." she nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know... He was a nice guy. Maybe a little too cocky, but nice." she remembered punching him once because of that.

"That sounds like Ric." Shireen smiled softly "It was an old war injury that never healed properly..."

An awkward silence filled the room until Arya spoke up.

"Maybe I should get dressed then, so we can have lunch?"

Shireen led her to where the dressing room was and left her to get dressed. There were a few beautiful gowns that looked exactly her size and a few more pants. She quickly put on some black breeches and a simple gray shirt and a adorned vest over it, Gendry's necklace tucked neatly between her breasts. She also grabbed some very nice looking boots.

Shireen laughed holding her belly when she came back out. "Gendry said you would choose something like that but I insisted the maids bring you a few gowns too."

"Where is Gendry?" Arya asked.

She turned serious for the first time "He had some... _business_ to look after in the capital. But he hoped to be back for supper. I hope you don't mind spending the day in my company, my lady."

"Only if you keep calling me 'my lady'. Please, Arya is enough."

"Arya." she smiled fondly "Then I would like you to call me Shireen." Arya nodded in agreement "And now let's get something to eat. I bet you are hungry and my child _always_ demands more food."

Both women laughed at that. She was certain they would get along very well.

Arya ate a little more this time, still being careful to take small bites, and Shireen insisted cheerfully she tell her how she met Edric.

"It was during my time in Essos." She didn't tell her it was during her training for the Faceless Men. "I went to Lys to look for some special ingredients for medicines" and with medicines she really meant poison "I came back to the inn I was staying and thought I saw someone I knew. Lysene people tend to be fair-haired so a tall black-haired boy was not easy to miss." Shireen was listening intently "I went over to this boy, all set in demanding what the seven hells he was doing there, when I realized this boy was too short and his ears were too big."

"You thought he was Gendry." Arya nodded.

"I was confused because this boy was obviously not him, but he still had the same blue eyes and the same smile." Shireen agreed. "So there I was, staring stupidly at him, and he told me, all cocky in that manner of his, that this had to be the first time he ever left a beauty speechless and not the other way around." Shireen snorted. "You see, I don't react well to compliments, less even if you use such a lame line, so I punched him in the gut." Shireen started laughing. "The stupid sod just laughed! And that's when I knew that both idiots just had to be related!" Shireen was hugging her belly with laughter. "I felt bad afterwards and explained to him what had happened over some mead."

Shireen's laughter faded slowly while she still drew circles around her belly.

"How far along are you?" Arya asked.

"Almost eight months." her voice broke a little "Edric died a few days after we found out." she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I'm really sorry..."

After lunch, Shireen insisted in showing her the castle grounds. Arya saw the guards looking at her with mistrust and a bit of fear.

She felt Shireen hook her arm around hers and bring her closer so they could speak quietly. "Gendry told them it was alright for you to walk around freely, that you wouldn't harm anyone. But you can't blame them to be scared of you."

"I don't."

"You have killed their friends and they will not forget that easily. The stormlanders have always been loyal to House Baratheon. Edric was to be their lord, he grew up here and knew the lands well, but he chose Dragonstone for me instead because he knew how muchI loved my grim dark castle." She smiled sweetly at that. "Gendry inherited Storm's End instead, and the people here are all too happy with that change. He posesses all the Baratheon trades they loved in their lords. He is strong like Robert, just and honorable like my father, loving and kind like Renly. And growing up amongst the smallfolk has made him humble and dedicated to his people. They _love_ him, Arya." she said proudly "If they see that you're loyal to him, and me, they will respect you. And who knows? They might even learn to love you too."

Arya didn't know what Shireen meant with that, and she highly doubted that she could ever make people love her.

They were walking in silence through the gardens, still arm in arm, and Arya found it nice to share such a simple moment with this young woman. It almost felt like having a sister again.

_'I miss Sansa so much...'_ She promissed to go to her soon. _'But first there are things I must do._

A loud roar brought her back from her thoughts. _'A Dragon!'_ Arya wanted to get closer to where the sound came from, but she felt Shireen tug at her arm. 

"That is Viserion." she said nervously "He is locked in the dragon pit."

"Can we go see him?" Arya asked with excitement.

"I fear it's not safe. He tends to get wild without Gendry here."

She had seen the Dragon Queen with her children once from afar, in the Free Cities. They were not as huge as they were now, but already big enough for Daenerys to ride her black beast, Drogon. A year later her 'resurrected' nephew Aegon started riding alongside her on the green one, Rhaegal. But when the rumours of a Baratheon riding the last one of the dragons reached her, she never thought that they meant Gendry. The Gendry she knew didn't even know how to ride a horse properly, much less flying around on a giant dragon.

Suddenly a strange light caught her eye. When she looked up to the tower it came from to see what it was she saw her.

_'The Red Priestess.'_ with her ever glowing red gem on her throat. She was looking straight at her and Arya felt the familiar rage invade her whole body again.

"Remember." Shireen saw how tense Arya was "You gave your word you wouldn't kill her."

"That doesn't mean I don't still want to see her dead."

Shireen nodded in understanding. "If things were different I would gladly let you do it. I have always despised that woman. First she stole my mother from me and then she used my father like some puppet for her God's game." she spat. It was the first time Arya saw the gentle young woman show any anger. "It's ironic how I was the one who hated her the most, and yet I ended up being the one most in need of her power..."

Arya was confused. Why would this girl ever need the Red Woman?

Shireen took both of Arya's hands in hers. "It was not for himself that Gendry asked you to spare the Priestess' life. It was for me." It sounded almost like an apology. "I _need_ her, Arya."

Now Arya was really confused. She let the other girl lead her to one of the benches in the garden so they could sit down. Shireen was playing nervously with her gown and arya waited for her to explain.

"When Edric died-" her voice broke and she looked down at her hands. She took a shaky breath and tried again. "When Edric died I was devastated. I became literally sick with grief." There where tears welling up in her eyes "My health had always been delicate due to my greyscale, and Ric's death was the final blow." Arya saw her trying to choke back the tears "I almost lost the baby. Fever took me and for a moment the maesters feared for my life too. Gendry came as soon as he heard. I've never been more relieved to see a dragon than when I saw that golden beast fly by my window on Dragonstone." she chuckled softly "I don't exactly remember what happened after that, the fever had gotten worse and I drifted in and out of conciousness. I recall Gendry storming in, yelling at the maester do _do something_." Arya unconciously brought a hand to her necklace. "He was squeezing my hand painfully and I begged him to please stop crying, Ric wouldn't want him to be crying. That I was sorry, so sorry we had failed him as a family. I felt him kiss my brow as I fell asleep and heard him storm out again." Shireen wiped the tears from her eyes and Arya found tha her own cheecks were wet too.

"When I woke up I felt much better and Gendry was holding my hand, he had fallen asleep on an armchair by my bedside. I don't know how long he had been there but a scruffy beard had grown on his cheeks and there were dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep." Shireen's eyes turned dark when she continued "Then I noticed the Red Woman." she shuddered "She had been just standing there, hidden in the shadows, with her red eyes and red gem glowing strong. 'You must thank him for his sacrifice.' she said 'Without his kingsblood you and your child would be dead.' and then she left."

Arya had been listening to the whole story in silence and didn't know what to say. She wanted to find Gendry and scream at him for ever being as stupid as to go to the Red Priestess for help, playing with dark magic was dangerous and always held consequences.

"Please don't be angry with him." Shireen squeezed her hands and pleaded "He hates the Red Woman as much as I do. What he did he did only do it for me, so I could keep a part of Edric with me."

But Arya couldn't really be mad at him. She too would have done everything she could to save the ones she loved. She remembered well how years ago she had asked another Red Priest to bring her father back to life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I meant to post this yesterday, but I wanted to finish one of the next chapters first in case I needed to change anything.  
> -I'm so happy people like this story (for now). I wanted to try something different and wasn't sure if people would like it. And I'm so glad you do! :D
> 
> -P.D.: Please don't hate me after reading this chapter -_-,

Arya and Shireen were still in the gardens when a servant came to inform them that Lord Baratheon and his men were riding in through the main gate this same instant. Shireen thanked him and they went to greet Gendry.

He was the first of the small group to arrive at the stables, riding a beautiful brown mare. He handled himself much better on a horse, she observed, but he was still far from perfect.

"You are still a terrible rider." Arya joked.

She noticed how he looked her up and down quickly. "Not all of us have the luck to be half-horse northmen, my lady." She snorted and ignored that last part.

"How was the Capital? Any news?" Shireen asked.

"Same as ever. Boring and tiring." he groaned as he climbed down his horse and gave the reins to a stableboy.

"I'll go have them prepare a bath for you then." Shireen excused herself.

Arya watched her as she walked back to the castle. All the men greeted her with a smile as she passed them and she greeted them right back with one of her own. 

"That girl has a gift to make people love her. She has all my men eating from her palm."

Arya nodded "Yes, she is very nice."

Gendry shouted out some orders and then they left for the castle too.

"I hope you have been behaving yourself like you promised..."

She gave him a reproachful look at that. "I gave you my word. It's not like I can go around murdering people with Shireen holding onto my arm anyway."

Gendry's brow shot up at that. "Could it be that she has you enchanted too already?" he jested. 

"Shut up! I already said she's a very nice girl." she said defensively "She has been showing me around the castle and we spend most of the afternoon in the gardens."

They passed by the tower where she had seen Melisandre and Arya halted looking nowhere in particular. "She has told me some... _things_." she said quietly.

When she looked up all his playfulness was gone and she glimpsed pain in his eyes.

"We'll talk later about it?"

Arya nodded slowly.

Shireen came to her room to help her get dressed for supper. She didn't understand why she had to change clothes if they were going to be just the three of them for supper, but she agreed to wear a beautiful light blue dress only for Shireen's sake. She even let her cut the damaged ends and do her hair for her, two simple braids on top to pin the hair out of her face and the rest falling loosely over her shoulders.

"You should cut it more often so it won't get tangled so much. It suits you very well like this."

Arya didn't care much about looking pretty. She prefered plainer, more practical clothes to these beautiful, tight gowns that limited her movements. And though she liked to have her long hair back, she always just braided it carelessly so it wouldn't get into her face.

She had to admit the sacrifice was well worth it when she saw Gendry's face as they entered the dining room and almost missed the satisfied grin on Shireen's face when his eyes followed her necklace down her bosom.

When dinner was served, Arya had to remind herself to chew everything properly. She was feeling much better but her body was still recovering from the dungeons. She felt her stomach do funny flips but she knew that was from the way Gendry tried not to look at her.

She was grateful when Shireen distracted them starting to talk about how much she missed Dragonstone and how she was counting the days until she could finally go back to see Ser Davos with her child in her arms.

"One would think we mistreat you here at Storm's End." Gendry said in a faked hurt tone.

"You know that's not what I mean. I just miss the stone dragons crawling down on every corner of the castle and the dark humid corridors." Arya had to laugh at that. How could you miss a place that sounded so grim? "And I miss my Onion Knight so much ..."

Now it was Gendry's turn to laugh. "You have a true, living dragon here. How can you miss those creepy dragons so much and yet be afraid to even look at Viserion?"

"Unlike your dragon, these are harmless and don't breathe fire that can burn you to ashes. And they are _not_ creepy."

It was funny seeing them bickering like this, like a true family. Arya used to be like this with her siblings all the time. Specially with Sansa, they would scream at each other till their lungs burned, but they always made up at the end and fell asleep in the night, curled together in the same bed.

"What about you, Arya?" Shireen brought her back from her daydream "How long are you planning on staying with us?"

She hadn't really thought about that...

She looked at Gendry briefly "I don't know yet." then looked back "I want to go North, back to Winterfell. It's been too long..." Shireen nodded in understanding. Arya hadn't realized how much she wanted it until she said it out loud. "But there are some things I still need to do before I can go home."

Gendry was looking at her with a stern face. She didn't know how much he had told Shireen about her, but she highly doubted he mentioned anything about her going from place to place killing a list of people.

"I'm sure your sister and brothers miss you very much. I too will miss you when you leave, Arya..." she said honestly.

Shireen excused herself after that. It had been a long day and walking around with that heavy belly must be really tiring. Gendry stood up to bid her good night and the moment Arya saw him bend down to kiss his cousin's head and gently caress her belly, she felt something sweet clutch at her heart.

"I'm glad you finally found what you always wanted." she said as he sat back down beside her.

Gendry was quiet for a moment, just looking at her.

"Kind of... A family wasn't the only thing I wanted."

There was something in his eyes then that she didn't quite understand but it made her feel warm inside and she wanted him to explain it to her.

But instead he looked away and started to talk about something else.

"Arya... About Melisandre, I-"

"Don't." she cut him off. Talking about that woman was the last thing she wanted right now. "It's not necessary. I know why you did it."

"But I want you to undertsand it." he tried again.

"I _do_ understand it." she assured him "I never told you before, but when we were traveling with the Brotherhood and the thing with the Hound happened, I asked Thoros to bring my father back to life the same way he did with Beric." Gendry was quiet. "I'm glad now he didn't, but back then I was so mad... I would have asked him a hundred times to do it, the consequences be damned."

"You were still a child then. You didn't understand." he said softly "I didn't understand it either. Or rather, I didn't want to understand." he said sadly "Thoros tried to stop me, saying that it was too late, that you were already gone, but I was so blind with rage and grief and when Melisandre promised me vengance... I went with her willingly whithout any second thoughts." There was so much pain in his voice. "She knew the Hound was dead already." he spat "And still she used me to get the power to help Stannis." she saw anger shining bright in his eyes.

"Arya..." he said more softly now, guilt in his voice. "I think she used that power against your brother Robb too..." His hand twitched wanting to touch her but he was too afraid how she would react.

"No." she said firmly, hartred welling up in her. "Walder Frey killed my brother and mother. You don't need dark magic to make a black heart any blacker." she gritted out through her teeth.

He put his hand over hers then, trying to comfort her. Her first instinct was to pull back, but she let him. His hand was warm and seemed to have a calming effect on her. She found it strange how such a simple gesture could make her feel all fuzzy inside.

She was grateful for it and tried to change to a lighter subject.

"Tell me, what was this important thing you went to King's Landing for?"

She felt his whole body freeze.

His face seemed to blanch and she was confused by this sudden change. They had just been talking about dark magic and other horrible things and yet he didn't seem to mind. What worse could there be that he wouldn't want to tell her?

"Gendry?" She shook the hand he was holding and smiled at him trying to encourage him.

As soon as he looked up at her, she knew she wouldn't like what came next.

"I am to marry Her Grace Daenerys Targaryen."

Her smile faltered and she pulled her hand back.

"Oh." she said stupidly.

And in that moment she swore she felt her heart break a little.

 _'"Oh."? That must have been the stupidest thing you have ever said.'_ she chastised herself as she walked through the dark corridor back to her room _'I don't even care if he gets married..._ She paused and leaned on a window that looked out to the sea and reached for the necklace between her breasts. She watched the waves crash for a moment. _I never planned on staying here anyways. I still got important things to do..._

She heard movement coming from where she had been heading to and when she turned toward it she saw the red glow in the shadows.

She immediatly felt anger well up inside her. _'The last thing I need now is to listen to her bullshit!'_

Melisandre appeared before her with her red eyes and red gem glowing strong.

"I was hoping I would find you, Arya."

"It's Lady Stark to you, and I am very tired. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She tried to walk past her but Melissandre stepped in her way. She felt her rage start to rise.

"I have some interesting news to tell you."

"I don't care. Now let me pass." she tried to step by her but was blocked again. 

"It is very important." Melisandre said calmly.

"I don't care about whatever bullshit you have to say! And now step aside before you make me break my word and kill you." Arya hissed at her.

Melisandre stepped to a side and let her pass.

"It's about Jon Snow." Arya stopped in place. "Or should I rather say Jon Targaryen?"

In a flash Arya had Melisandre pinned against the wall by her throat, her red gem glowing.

"Don't you _dare_ talk about my brother." she growled.

"You know perfectly well he is not your brother." 

"Shut up!" Arya squeezed tighter. "You have the nerve to talk about him after you betrayed him? You made him believe you were on his side and then you just stood by and watched as they killed him!"

"I told him to watch out for the knives in the dark." Melisandre said calmly.

Arya pulled and pushed Melisandre's head back against the wall. "I think I should just kill you now. I'm sure Gendry would understand." She gripped the other woman's throat tighter and for the first time she glimpsed fear in Melisandre's eyes. "Gods know the world would be better off without you. All it takes is for me to keep squeezing your beautiful jewelled throat and be done with it."

"If you wanted to kill me," Melisandre croaked out "you would have done so already." The gem on her throat shone brighter and Arya yelped and let go of her as it burned her hand.

Melisandre smoothed her skirts out as if nothing had happened. She bent down to whisper to Arya "When you feel ready to talk about your cousin, come to me." and walked away cooly. 

Arya glared murderously after her. "He is my brother!"

She hissed in pain as she moved her hand to inspect the damage. Thank the Gods it wasn't as bad as she initially thought, just a slight burn on her palm.

She walked the rest of the hall to her room knowing perfectly well sleep wouldn't come easy now.

_'At least I'll have time to take care of this properly..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I see people liked the Dany/Gendry? lol I know, I hate myself too... But it's necessary for this story to work.  
> -I don't know how long people were thinking this fic was going to be, but if you check the summary it says "Arya spends few DAYS at Storm's End" But I'm glad people want it to go on forever; that means you like it, right? 
> 
> -P.D.: I think this is my favourite! hope you like it!

Arya tossed and turned all night, barely getting any sleep, too many emotions running through her head.

At first light she finally gave up and decided to get dressed. She put on the same breeches she wore yesterday and changed into a clean shirt. She ran a brush quickly through her hair, not bothering to braid it and letting it fall loose around her face.

There were still only few people about she observed. She headed to the stables and started to inspect the horses. They were all healthy and in good shape but there was a beautiful black steed that caught her eye. She got closer to him and gave him some oats so he would let her take a better look at his strong legs.

"Are you going to start stealing my horses now?"

She looked back and saw Gendry in more casual clothes leaning on the stable door.

"This one looks fast." she patted the horse's neck.

"He should be." Gendry stepped inside "This one has some dornish blood in his veins."

He noticed the bandage around her palm. "What happened to your hand?"

"Burned myself with a candle." she lied.

She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't really want to talk to him at all. He would just try to explain about him and the Dragon Queen, and she didn't want to talk about that either.

"You're up early." He observed.

"Old habits die hard." she said dryly. She couldn't very well admit she barely slept great part because o him, and if she told him about Melisandre he would just get mad. "What about you? What are you doing up so early? Don't you propper lords like to stay in bed til late?" she added mockingly sweet.

"I was going to see Viserion." he played along "I was about to ask you if you wanted to come with me but I guess you're too busy playing the stableboy." he said as he made to leave.

"Wait!" Arya dropped the rest of the oats quickly. "I _do_ want to come along."

Gendry smirked triunfantly and held the stable door open for her.

Viserion was much larger than she imagined, nothing to do with the pony-sized dragon she remembered. He was a little too excited at first, happy to see Gendry she guessed, so she decided to step back until he calmed down. The dragon's head was almost as big as Gendry was and pushed at him playfully almost throwing him to the ground, but Gendry didn't seem to mind and patted him like some cute little dog.

Arya just stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

"Come here." Gendry called to her. "He is much calmer now."

She stepped slowly into the pit and saw how Viserion watched every step she made until she was beside Gendry. He was petting the dragon just behind his head.

"Do you want to touch him?" She nodded quickly and he took his hand away so she could touch there. "Just be careful not to get burned."

Arya reached out carefully using her injured hand, not wanting to risk burning her good hand too. She marveled at how smooth the rough looking golden scales were.

"He is so warm..." She knew she was grinning like an idiot but she didn't care.

"They say dragons have fire running through their veins."

Arya grew more confident and started to inspect Viserion's horns. The dragon made a pleased sound at that.

"He likes you."

She patted him some more happily and got a wild idea. "Do you think I could ride him?"

Gendry was smiling at her but shook his head. "Even if he let you mount him, you would probably burn up once he takes flight. Dragons tend to get really hot when they're excited."

Arya was a bit disappointed but continued running her hand through the smooth scales. "Guess all those years working in a forge helps."

"It's got more to do with dragonblood of the Targaryens. I must have inherited a fair share of it through my father's family line. The more you have, the better you resist the heat." he explained. "That doesn't mean I can ride him whenever I want. Sometimes the heat gets even too much for me."

"But aren't you his _rider_? Doesn't that bond mean you can't get burned?"

Gendry nodded in agreement. Now Arya was confused.

"' _The Dragon has three heads_...'" She had heard that before. "All three dragons needed a rider and I was the best match for Viserion. We get along well and he lets me ride him whenever it's necessary or he feels like it, but..." he paused a moment looking at her "I don't think that _I_ am meant to be his rider."

Arya stopped petting Viserion to look at Gendry. "What do you mean _you_ are not meant to be his rider?"

Gendry was quiet for a moment, unsure how to continue. "There is something I wanted to tell you. But I'm afraid how you will take it..."

She didn't like where this was going. Last time he ended up telling her he was promised to another woman. She waited as he struggled for the words to say.

"Arya. I think your brother Jon is still alive."

"Don't." She flinched back as if he'd hit her.

He tried to touch her but she pulled back. "Arya, I-"

"Stop it!" Viserion growled. She looked furious right then "Did Melisandre put you up to this?"

And now it was Gendry's turn to look angry. "Of course not!"

Arya turned around to leave, not believing him, but he caught her arm. She spinned around, fist ready to punch him, but he grabbed her injured wrist before it reached his face. Viserion growled again.

"Just listen to me!"

But Arya didn't want to listen, fighting him to let her go, and Viserion was growing more and more agitated. He had to make her stop or else this would end very bad.

" _Please, Arya._ Stop!" He tried squeezing her wrists tighter but that was even worse. "I can show you!" He screamed desperatly. "I can show you!" That seemed to work and she stopped thrashing.

"I can show you." he repeated more softly, still holding her wrists.

Her eyes were wild and she was breathing heavy, but at least she stopped fighting. He let go of her as soon as he felt her relax to try calm down Viserion.

"You Starks have a special connection with your direwolves. I remember how you once told me you used to dream about your wolf." She still dreamed of Nymeria sometimes. "The Targaryens have the same conection with their dragons." Where was he going with this? "Sometimes, Viserion shows me... _things_." Arya swallowed hard. "First I only saw snow, but then..."

She started shaking her head, not wanting to hear it. "I saw him, Arya."

"No..." she barely whispered "It can't be. They killed him."

Viserion whined.

"He is _alive_ , Arya." Tears started to fall from her eyes. "He looks just like your father." And that was all the hope she needed to believe. "I can show you."

Arya nodded and stepped closer, wiping the tears from her face. Gendry stilled the hand he had been petting Viserion with, putting his palm flat against the scales, and motioned for her to do the same.

She was almost scared to touch him, afraid of what she would see. Gendry lifted his hand before she made any contact. She ran her fingertips slowly over his scales until her palm was flat against him. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep.

She saw snow. Snow everywhere she looked. On the trees to her left, on the mountains to her right, thick flakes falling from above her and crunching under her cold paws.

 _'Ghost... It's just Ghost.'_ The disappointment was almost too painful...

But then she looked up and a familiar scent caught her nose. She started trotting towards it, going faster and faster, until she was running and the smell was everywhere.

She halted where the smell was strongest. She _knew_ he was there but she couldn't him.

Suddenly she saw the slightest movement before her and she realized she had been looking at him all along.

He was wearing thick, grey and brown frozen furs that made him look like a rock in the middle of all the snow. She had been only able to see him because he drew back the hood to look at her and his dark curls spilled out from under it. He looked so much older than the boy she knew, and there was a nasty old scar crossing from his brow to his cheek. But he still had those kind, smilling steel grey eyes.

He bent down to ruffle her head. And when he touched her, she knew that he knew she was there.

_'Arya...'_

Arya snapped her hand back violently breathing heavy. Her heart was beating madly, the whole world was spinning around her and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"...Jon..."

She felt so very dizzy and almost collapsed, but Gendry pulled her against his chest before she could fall.

"Breathe, Arya. Breathe." she heard from somewhere far away. She tried too, but her heart didn't seem to want to calm down. All she knew was that she was holding onto Gendry for dear life.

"It's alright. Just breathe." he kept saying trying to soothe her.

She breathed in his scent once, twice and felt the air return slowly to her lungs, and the world finally seemed to hold still.

She heard Viserion whine beside her, poking her gently as if for her to assure him she was alright. She didn't even think about it when she reached her palm out blindly to put it back over him, so he could feel she was.

"Don't!" Gendry tried to stop her. But it was too late.

Nothing bad happened. Quite the contrary...

Arya felt herself relax as a nice warm tingling feeling started to spread from wherever his body was touching hers. She leaned back a little to look at him. Her stomach made a flip when she saw how blue his eyes were. She felt herself smile and reached out a hand, trying to smooth his worried brow.

"Wha-what is this?" Her face couldn't stop smiling, and her hand didn't want to stop touching him. "What's happening?"

Gendry was looking at her with curiosity now, a smile starting to form on his own face.

"It's the dragon." was the only thing he said. Her heart was beating faster and she wondered if his mouth had always looked so tasty.

"Wha-?" She was starting to feel dizzy again. But it was a whole different kind of dizzy. The kind of dizzy you got when you had thousands of butterflies fluttering inside your belly.

"It heightens all your feelings." And _Gods_ she needed to know what his lips tasted like. "I shouldn't have let you touch him while I was still touching you." But she saw in his eyes that he was glad she did.

And she was too.

She liked the way this was making her feel. She liked it very much.

She ran her fingers over his beard and he brought his own hand to her cheek. Electricity ran through her body and the heat in her belly started to coil. He must have felt it too for his eyes turned dark, almost black. He let his hand run all the way down her throat to her collarbones and inside her shirt to where her necklace was buried. If it were anybody else she would have knocked his teeth out right then, but this was Gendry and his hand was so _warm_ and she never wanted him to stop touching her.

She had enough of waiting and pulled him down to her so she could finally kiss him.

He tried to resist at first but soon he was kissing her back just as hungrily, pulling her in by the waist and his tongue pushing insistently against her mouth. She opened her lips to let him in, and _Gods...!_ He tasted even better than she ever imagined!

He walked them back until he had her pressed up against a hard scaled wall, and everything seemed to heat up even more. She was kissing him desperately, running her fingers through his black hair.

He dragged one of his hands down her bum to her tight so he could lift it a little and fit himself between her legs. She could feel he was hard and the wall behind her seemed to flare up.

He grinded against her once and the desire became too much.

She pushed him away quickly trying to escape the pain in her back, realizing what exactly he meant when he said a dragon could burn you if it got too excited.

They were both breathing heavy trying to catch their breaths.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that..." he said between ragged breaths.

Reality hit in and she felt too embarrassed to say anything.

What had she been been thinking? He was betrothed to the Dragon Queen and she had been kissing him like some wanton wench where everybody could have seen them.

"This can't happen again." he said firmly.

She knew he was right, but that didn't make the rejection sting less. She could still feel the tingling heat in her body and his words were like a bucked of ice cold water over her head.

She couldn't bare for him to see the shame on her face.

So she ran.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -I rewrote the first part like 12 times because it either got too long or it didn't flow... But I think it works now?  
> -I still haven't finished with the last chapter, and it's already longer than the rest of the chapters so maybe I will split it and add another chapter.  
> -I hope you like this chapter.

Gendry found her after midday by the pond, deep in the gardens. She had shed her boots and socks along the way and had her breeches pulled up to her knees. She was playing with her necklace, bare feet dangling in the water. 

She used to do this when she was in Braavos, go to the docks and let her tired feet play with the water until the fish would come and start nibbling at her toes.

He approached her slowly, loath to intrude in her peaceful moment.

"Shireen said you might be here..." he said as a way of greeting.

She forced a little smile, not looking up.

He stood there awkwardly for a moment until he decided it was safe to sit down beside her, at a proper distance.

"You didn't appear for lunch." he said softly.

"Wasn't hungry." she shrugged still looking at the water "Needed some time to think..."

He nodded. 

They stayed like that for a while, in silence not looking at each other.

"I-I want to apologize about what happened." Gendry blurted out.

"You don't have to. I understand." she interrupted him.

"But I _need_ to." he insisted. He took a breath and started again more calmly. "I knew how things were and yet I let myself get carried away and I feel like I've been leading you on." he said sheepishly.

"I'm not a little girl, Gendry." she said more softly, looking at him "I knew what I was doing, and I wanted it too. I'm as much at fault as you are."

"And yet I feel like I disrespected you, and I never wanted that."

She looked away again, annoyed with his stubbornness.

"Do you love her?" Arya asked suddenly.

Gendry scoffed at that. "Love has nothing to do with it. Daenerys wants me about as much as I want her. We never had much of a say in it." he said sadly. "The Seven Kingdoms are still recovering from the war and this marriage will finally mend the wounds between Baratheon and Targaryen loyalists." He said it like it was something he had repeated to himself a thousand times. "The realm needs peace. And if this is what needs to be done to achieve it, then this is what I'll do." he finished more convinced.

Arya nodded slowly. Men and their stupid sense of honor and duty.

"Have you ever been to the Free Cities?" she asked after a moment.

"Once. With Ser Davos, when we went to get Edric back."

"I spent three years in Braavos." She was looking at the water again, with a far away look in her eyes. "It's a beautiful place. Always warm during the day and the nights cool down enough for you to sleep comfortably."

She had never spoken about the years she was gone. But she felt like she wanted to tell him.

"For some time I thought I could finally be happy there, pretending I was someone else and not the scared little girl that Arya Stark was." Her voice was small when she said that. "I worked on the docks selling fish and cockles while gathering information for the Faceless Men. I liked the hard work and I didn't have to worry about running for my life all the time."

"But then I started having my wolf dreams again." She looked up, looking at nothing in particular. "I dreamt about a wild little boy with a giant black wolf and his beautiful red-haired sister who were traveling north to reclaim their home. But there were still enemies lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to hurt them. That's when I knew I had to come back, to protect my family. They needed me."

"The kindly man was loathe to let me go, I was a quick learner and good with the knives too, but he always knew that I wouldn't be able to forget Arya Stark. I thanked him for all the things he had taught me and promised the God to deliver the names I had given him as payment for my training. I digged up Needle and left on the first ship that left for Westeros."

"What where those names you gave him?" Gendry asked.

She looked at him then. "You know what they were." He did, but he wanted to think she had forgotten about that. "The list of names I would recite over and over again."

He didn't intend to get angry but the idea of Arya still going around killing people was something he just couldn't cope with, no matter how badly they deserved it.

"I know this is hard for you to understand, but it is something I have to do." she explained calmly "You don't have to worry about Melisandre. If my brother is still alive, there is no need for her to die."

"I don't care about her!" he bursted out suddenly "I don't care about the rest either!"

She was surprised when he grabbed her by her arms to pull her closer.

"I only care about _you_ , Arya..." he said desperately "I don't want you going around doing all these dangerous things that can get you killed!" The grip on her bicep was almost painfull. "I couldn't bare to lose you again."

His blue eyes were so intense...

She brought a comforting hand up to his face, running her fingers over his beard.

"All men must die, Gendry..." She gave him a long chaste kiss he had to fight not to deepen. "But all men must serve too..."

His hold on her loosened, confused by her words.

"I promised to serve the God. It is a debt that must be paid." she said with a dark voice. "If I don't deliver these names, my family will never be safe, and the Faceless Men will send someone to collect my name as payment in their stead." she tried to explain him "One way or another, the God always collects his debts..."

But this didn't make him feel any better. All he understood was that if Arya didn't deliver those deaths, the Faceless Men would send one of their assassins to kill her.

"Don't look so grim..." she said softer again, caressing his cheek. "Everything will be alright." She gave him a reassuring smile. "Soon I will leave and all this will be easier. For both of us."

But he didn't see how it could be any easier. He didn't want her to leave and he didn't want to spend another five years wondering where she was, what she was doing. If she was save...

This time he kissed her. He told himself it would be the last and only to say goodbye.

She put her boots on and they walked to the castle together, hand in hand where nobody could see them. Hours had passed and Shireen was most probably worried about them and they didn't want to make her wait any longer.

Arya sneaked into his room that night, light and stealthy like a cat. He didn't even notice her until she was standing right in front of him, with a determined look on her face.

Gendry didn't really have the strength nor will to fight her when she started to kiss him.

"We shouldn't..." he tried to pull away.

"But I want to..." she bit his lower lip to bring him closer again.

"I am to marry Daenerys Targaryen." he tried to reason.

"It's not like I'm asking you to run away and marry me." she continued kissing along his cheek to his jaw "But I want to have this. With you..."

"I would though..." he confessed a little breathless, bringing her closer by the waist "I would leave everything and marry you, if you'd ask me to."

He felt her smile as she pressed a kiss to his throat.

"Good thing I don't then, because our heads would roll." she started to unbutton his shirt "But we can have this, and pretend that we can be happy while we're together."

He craddled her head to look into her darkened grey eyes.

"You can play the faithfull husband once you're married."

He kissed her properly then, tangling his fists in her hair and letting her tongue taste his mouth, not holding back anymore.

They helped undress each other and moved to the bed.

Gendry let her take her time to explore him, doing an exploration of his own, finding all the spots that made her shiver and sigh in delight.

When she felt confident enough, he sat up and let her climb on top of him. She sank down slowly, trying to accommodate him inside of her. The initial sting made her hiss, but Gendry kissed her and murmured sweet words to soothe her. Arya tried to move after a moment. The warm rush that ran through her made her forget the pain almost instantly.

She rocked her hips experimentally, trying to find out what made his breath hitch and what made the pleasure inside her sharper. He helped her move until she found a rythm that had them both moaning desperately.

She moved harder and faster, her fingers digging into his back, while he continued sucking and biting at her throat and breast, until the fire inside her reached its peak and the pleasure exploded all through her.

They both lay there for a while, still entangled, trying to catch their breaths. Arya smiled against his chest as she felt his heart was still beating as fast as hers was.

"I really liked that..."

She loved the way his chest shook with laughter as he leaned down to kiss her sloppily.

She noticed a scar right under his beard when she brushed her fingers through it.

"What is this from?"

"Some backstabbing knight pulled a knife on me. Mine was sharper."

She ran her fingers over his brow, pushing his dark hair out of his face.

"What of this?" She touched a fine line that had been hidden under his bangs. 

"Hit myself against a branch while riding." Gendry confessed amused.

"Stupid." Arya snorted.

She touched a nasty looking scar right over his ribs. "This one?"

"Sword in the battle of King's landing. Bled like a pig. I thought I wouldn't make it..."

She kissed that one, bringing the knee between his legs unconsciously higher, making him growl. She bit her lip and smiled to herself wickedly.

"What about this one?" She dragged her fingers down his belly, feather light and purposefully slow, to a moon-shaped bite mark right beside his hip.

He growled again and snatched her hand up to bite the inside of her wrist.

"You think you're so smug."

"That's because I am." she managed to say before he captured her lips and kissed her hungrily.

She let him be on top this time, showing her how he liked it. First deep and slow and then hard and fast. Her legs trembled so hard afterwards, she thought she would never be able to walk properly again. 

He made her come with his mouth before spilling inside her the third time, just because he had always wanted to try that. They fell asleep like that, her clutching him to her breast and him still inside her, both too exhausted to move a limb.

Arya woke a few hours later to the ticklish feeling of Gendry's beard peppering kisses all over her back and neck. She smiled and brought his hand between her legs, pushing herself closer to him, and let him take her one last time, from behind, not caring the least how sore she would be in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -In the end the chapter got too long and I had to split it in two.  
> -This one and the next are basically Gendry POV  
> -No actual Arya in this one, sorry  
> -I have the next chapter already written but won't post it till tomorrow (because I'm evil as fuck BWAJAJA)
> 
> Please enjoy!

Gendry woke up to a cold, empty bed, with nothing but the soreness in his muscles and the scratches on his back to prove the night with Arya had been real.

He reluctantly got up to get dressed, hoping that she had only retired to her own chambers and would still be in the castle somewhere. But the letter with the necklace on top of the table said otherwise.

He silently thanked Ser Davos for having always insisted that _'a lord must know his letters'_. He put Arya's necklace on and read the fine writing.

_'I want you to have it, so you can always keep me with you._  
I hope to have taken something more precious to me to remember you by...  
I promise I'll be careful and let you know if I'm ever in need.  
Tell Shireen that I'm sorry. I've never been good at goodbyes.  
Please don't be cross with me.  
The longer I'd stayed, the harder it would have been to leave.' 

Shireen finds him hours later, still half dressed and holding on to the small piece of paper, and she wishes there was any way to console him.

He isn't surprised when the frightened stableboy tells him that the dornish half-blood went misteriously missing. He tells the boy not to worry, that it was a gift to the Lady Arya.

\---

Weeks pass and nothing seems to happen. But the former king's guard Meryn Trant is found dead behind a tabern in King's Landing one day, with his head kicked in by a horse. There have never been any horses anywhere near that tabern.

Cersei Lannister is next. She is found drowned in her cell the Faith keeps her in. Everybody wonders how she could have drowned in a cup of whine only two fingers deep.

Gendry can't help but feel sorry for the little lord, Tommen. He must be sad for his mother's death, although it was him that send her to the High Septon, after she tried to poison the Lady Margaery.

\---

Things get quiet again and everything is ready for the royal wedding.

Gendry wishes both he and Daenerys, had the courage to break everything off, so she could be with her flamboyant sellsword and he could go back to Storm's End to see Shireen's child be born and go find Arya. But Shireen tells him he must be strong, that Kings and Queens can't always have what they want. They must serve the realm or else they are not worth their people's love.

The ruins of Harrenhall burn to the ground and Gendry wishes he could be there and watch the damned castle turn to ashes in stead of the fireworks the night before his wedding.

Queen Daenerys Targaryen and Lord Gendry Baratheon get married in the Sept of Baelor in front of a cheering crowd. He repeats Shireen's words his head over and over again, hoping his smile is as convincing as Dany's, though he knows hers is fake too.

The bedding is the worst. 

Gendry tries to be as pleasant as he can and Dany really is beautiful, but he can't help but think that her hair is too fair and her eyes too dark and he rolls away ashamed as soon as it's over. Dany thanks him for being kind to her and tells him that he can leave if he wishes to do so. But Dany is his friend and now she is his wife, he doesn't want to be the kind of man that uses a woman just to put his child in her, and he feels to broken to spend the night alone in his chambers, so they get dressed and fall asleep on the same bed.

\---

A great pack of wolves starts to prowl the Riverlands, but the people don't fear them. It's not the first time they see the giant wolf bitch, and she and her brothers only hunt down the thieves and rapers that try to abuse the smallfolk of these torn lands. Lady Smallwood and what's left of the Brotherhood give the poor food and clothes that they buy with the money they receive mysteriously with notes like _'a little help from a friend'_.

It's Arya. He just knows it. But nobody has seen her and nobody has heard anything about a petite, skinny woman with a giant wolf as companion.

\---

Shireen's child is born. It's a healthy boy with beautiful blue eyes and a little too big ears. Dany accompanies him to meet little Stannis and Gendry has never seen Shireen so happy. They decide to stay at Storm's End until she feels strong enough to sail back to Dragonstone. He doesn't want Shireen and the babe to be alone with Melisandre lurking about.

He overhears Dany one evening, while she is cradling Stannis in Shireen's chambers, how she wishes she would get with child soon. "One of these blue-eyed beauties would make everything easier." she says, and Gendry can't help but think that maybe she is right, that if they laid together more than just on formal occasions, they could make a child that would make this marriage all worthwhile. _'I always wanted to be a father..._ he thinks _'Father to a boy with coal black hair, or a girl with ocean blue eyes._ he would rather like that. _'No.'_ he hears himself think _'Her eyes should be steel grey...'_ He forces himself to walk away, feeling too guilty to look Dany or Shireen in the eyes now.

\---

He recieves a package from the Eyrie the next week. It's from his sister Mya for Shireen. They both laugh when they see it's a blanket for the baby, with mules embroidered all over it. 

There comes a note with it, he doesn't recognize the handwriting. Mya never learnt to write, but he knows it's from her by the little mule-shaped scribble at the end of it.

_'For the first one of my nephews._  
Unroll carefully. There is a present for you and the Bull  
from a mutual friend with too much a liking for bastards.' 

There is another small package rolled inside the blanket. Shireen opens it and inside is the worst stitched handmade toy Gendry has ever seen, but it sets his heart beating madly.

"What is it?" Shireen says amused, as she tries to find out what exactly the stuffed animal is supposed to be.

"A wolf..." he breathes and Shireen knows instantly who it's from.

She hands him the little trinket that came with the toy, with a neatly written _'For Gendry'_ note hanging from it. That's all it says, but she can see how much it means to him. She has to help him add the wolf fang to his necklace after a few failed times, because his fingers tremble too much to do it on his own.

\---

Shireen feels finally well enough to leave for Dragonstone. She spends days telling little Stannis how he will love the stone dragons, how uncle Davos has made him a beautiful ship-shaped crib and how much she wants to show him where his papa and grandpapa are buried. It seems like half Storm's End has come to see her off at the docks. She hugs Gendry tightly, thanking him for everything with tears in her eyes as she mounts on her ship.

He is going to miss her, but at least he knows she will be safe and taken good care of.

Unlike Arya.

She is still nowhere to be found and the wolves in the Riverlands are rarely sighted anymore, having cleaned the lands of all the scum.

He is worried that maybe something happened to her and she couldn't send word to him. But he stops himself as he touches the fang on his necklace. 

_'She has Nymeria with her now, and she will take good care of her.'_

\---

There is a great feast at the Twins, two months later.

News reach King's Landing that a huge wolfpack stormed the castle in the night, killing everyone that took any part at the Red Wedding and leaving the rest unharmed. 

Walder Frey is the only one the animals spare. 

The old man is found dead in his chambers, nailed to his bed with his throat slit and big bloody letters carved into his flabby chest saying _'the North remembers'_.

The wolves disappear as soon as it's over and are never seen again.

"There is nothing as good as justice paid with the same coin."

Gendry is surprised when he hears the Queen say this when the Small Council asks them what measures should be taken.

"Walder Frey was an evil man who mistreated his own children, treating his subjects as simple foot soldiers in his own game. We are all well rid of him." she says firmly "I hear the new Lord Frey is a kind and caring young man, brother to the Lady Roselin Tully. Everyone left at the Twins is satisfied with this outcome. We should thank our _misterious friend_ for this, not punish her." And that's the end of it.

Dany knows about Arya. And he knows she feels a deep respect for this wolf-girl, though she would never admit it.

The fact that she doesn't love him doesn't mean she doesn't feel jealous about her husband showing more feelings for a ghost than his actual wife.

\---

Everything gets too quiet after the Twin's incident. The wolves have disappeared and with them the track of Arya.

Gendry spends his time traveling from King's Landing to Storm's End and back, wondering what is taking her so long to get to Winterfell.

Ilyn Payne was already dead when she returned to Westeros, and the rest of of the people on her list have died these past seven months by her own doing.

Her list should be done with. But still there is no sign of her.

Sometimes he wishes he could just fly off on Viserion and go look for her. But the dragon doesn't let him ride him as much as he used to, since he let Arya see Jon Snow. He gets more and more agitated, as if he too was waiting for something.

\---

Gendry visits Shireen at Dragonstone.

Little Stannis is growing fast and once again he wishes he could bring himself to try harder with Daenerys to make their marriage work and produce an heir. But you need more than just sleep on the same bed for that and he finds he doesn't really mind that much. A child should be made of love, not obligation.

It's been long since he saw Ser Davos and they greet clapping each other's back fondly.

Davos has news for him from the North. He has seen Rickon Stark on his recent voyage to White Harbor.

"The boy is almost a man grown now and he likes to visit Lord Manderly whenever he can." The little lord and his wolf are fond of Davos too. "He told me Roose Bolton's widow and heir have been found dead in their own castle. The northerners believe it was Ramsay Snow."

A chill runs through Gendry's body. _'Of course that monster would still be alive..._ His corpse was never found after the battle of Winterfell and the worst ones always survive.

That must be what Arya is waiting for.

Ramsay must be the last name on her list and he is certain she has something _very special_ in mind for.

Good. He deserves something special.

But Ramsay is one dangerous sick bastard and knows how to work from the shadows too. Gendry is afraid of what could happen to Arya if Ramsay gets his hands on her before she can finish him off.

"Lady Sansa and Lady Karstark have their men combing the woods for the bastard, and Rickon was going to set his direwolves after him from White Harbor up."

Gendry's attention catches at _wolves_.

Everyone knows Bran Stark is married at Greywater Watch, and his wolf never leaves his side, so... 

_The other wolf must be Nymeria..._

Gendry doesn't say a word, Davos understands.

"I saw her wolf." he says sadly "But there was no sign of your girl, lad..."

Gendry nods, feeling defeated.

\---

Gendry sends a raven to Sansa Stark as soon as he get's back to Storm's End, asking her not as her King, but as a friend, to let him know of any news and not to doubt asking him for any help he could provide.

He recieves a raven from Winterfell a week later, thanking him for his offer but their brother Jon is already on his way and this is something the North has to do on its own. She and her sister will be glad to let him know once it's all over and come celebrate with them.

_'She and her_ sister _... Arya is home...'_

In a rush to get to Winterfell as soon as possible, Gendry stubbornly tries to climb on Viserion without any gear or anything, but he is thrown off and the dragon flies away to Gods know where to.

\---

Dany is furious with him, of course. He rode all through the night to King's Landing just to tell her.

"How could you loose a _dragon_?" she screams at him and he can do nothing but duck his head and listen to her wrath because he knows she's right.

He should have known better than act on impulse. Now they have a dangerous, half-wild dragon flying around the Seven Kingdoms.

"How could you let this happen?" she says later, more calm "I should go to Dorne to ask Aegon for help to get him back."

"I think he flew North." Gendry blurts out finally. _'He could as well have taken me with him..._

"North? Why North?"

"I already told you he keeps showing me visions of Jon Snow." Dany sighs, tired of hearing him talk about that. "And he doesn't let me ride him anymore."

"If you knew that, why did you try to fly him anyway?"

He shuts his mouth again, too ashamed to tell his wife he wanted to run away and meet his lover, feeling like some stupid little boy who couldn't control himself and wanted his toy _now_.

"...I wanted to go North..." he finally confesses sheepishly without looking at her.

"Gendry..." and it's not unkind. She even takes his hand softly, trying to give him some kind of comfort. "You have to forget about her..."

And in that moment it's just too much. Too many months trying too hard, fighting against his own heart, fearing for Arya's safety and life. And he just _needs_ to see her.

"I can't... I just _can't_..."

And he feels himself break in that moment, not caring how weak he might look to her because everything is just too much.

Dany can do nothing but hug this soft giant of a man while he cries in her arms. And she realizes that instant that they should never have done this, that she had been asking too much of both of them when she proposed this political alliance to him months ago.

"...Shh... It's allright... Everything will be fine..."


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!!!  
> I hope everybody likes it! :)

There is no need to bother Aegon in the end. 

It is as Gendry says.

Viserion appears a few weeks later at Winterfell, the long lost Jon Snow riding on his back and Ghost following them closely.

It is Dany who breaks the news to him. 

"I've dreamed of him, Gendry..." she says with a mysterious look on her face "He might be the solution to all our problems."

He doesn't really understand what she means with that, she doesn't explain any further either, but he has never seen her this excited before.

\---

Jon is not the only lost Stark that reappears.

Brandon Stark and his wife came all the way from Greywater Watch and, finally, Arya Stark emerges from the gates of Winterfell.

They say she looked as beautiful as her aunt Lyanna, all wild hair and clad in Stark colors with a sharp sword at her hip, on top of a black horse and her ferocious direwolf at her side.

Gendry doesn't know what Lyanna looked like and he doesn't care. All he can see in his mind is how beautiful Arya must have looked wearing that same mischevious smile she gave him as she climbed into his bed eleven months ago.

\---

She and her older brother head out to hunt down Ramsay. Jon on Viserion and she with the wolves. 

Rickon and the Karstarks have been driving him closer and closer towards Winterfell and so they make quick game of him. It's almost as if they had been playing with him, waiting for Arya to decide when the time was right to finally end him.

Arya makes the bastard walk barefoot and half naked through the snow, all the way back to Winterfell. Ghost, Shaggy, Nymeria and Summer snapping angrily at him whenever he tries to stop or run away.

He arrives half dead already, all covered in mud and bloodied all over. He has to force himself to crawl up the steps to where a block is waiting for his ugly head to be chopped off. Half the North has come to see him die and it is Arya who claims the honor.

She sentences him in the name of her dead father and mother and all her brothers and sisters in the North he ever made suffer to die by the sword.

The Starks might have lost Ice, but Robb's sword is just as sharp. She lifts the heavy blade easily and with one single blow she cuts his head off.

She orders the body to be burned.

"Even worms would refuse eating such rotten flesh. And we don't want that one coming back."

She lights the pire herself and waits for the flames to engulf his corpse, then she leaves.

\---

Queen Daenerys Targaryen receives a letter from the Lady of Winterfell, inviting her and the King to come celebrate their victory with them. Sansa wants to discuss naming her brother Rickon the new Lord of the Dreadfort, she also wants her to meet her cousin Jon and her little nephew Orys.

"Curious name for a northern boy, don't you think?" Dany asks him amused as they ride North.

"I understand Bran has always been fond of stories about warriors and heroes."

Dany just laughs at that and Gendry can't help but feel like she's laughing about some obvious joke he doesn't get.

"Tell me more about this Jon Snow." she changes the subject still smiling.

It's all she seems to want to talk about lately. Since she had her 'dream' she's been asking him what he actually knows about him, if he really is Rhaegar's son, what kind of man he is, what he looks like.

Gendry doesn't mind, he has never been jealous for her. He has only ever felt respect and friendship towards her. He tells her everything he can, which is only what Viserion showed him or Arya ever told him. There are many rumours about him, of course, but he knows she only fants facts.

He is curious about what she has planned for Jon. She said that he could solve all their problems, but she never explained what problems, or how. But he didn't want to think about that now.

All he can think about is how much he wants to see Arya, how much he wants to hug and kiss her, and how _long_ this bloody voyage seems to be...

\---

It is Rickon and his wolf that meet their small party when they finally see the towers of Winterfell in the distance.

The first thing Gendry thinks is how little he looks like Arya but how much they're alike. He is all red-haired and tall with greyish blue eyes, but he has this wild and proud look about him and when he grins there is no mistake he is her brother.

"How fares the Onion Knight?" he asks Gendry as soon as the greetings and introductions are done, and he knows instantly that he will get along with this boy.

His wolf though keeps staring at him with those golden eyes in a way that make him feel uneasy.

"It's your smell." Rickon says to him quietly "You remind him of someone else. He finds it odd."

He is looking at Gendry as if for him to acknowledge what he just said but he has no clue who he is talking about.

He hears Dany snicker beside him and Rickon just grins, and again he feels like he is left out of some stupid joke. 

As they cross the town to the castle they can see there are more people here than they thought there would be.

"I hope you don't mind, Your Grace." Rickon says to Dany "Lady Karstark and some of her men are still at Winterfell. Lady Alys is a good friend of Jon and Arya and was hoping she could meet you in person. There is still plenty space for everyone."

"It is always a pleasure to be so well received."

They finally cross the gates to the castle and Gendry feels like his heart is going to burst from anticipation.

The Starks are all gathered in the yard, forming a line to greet them. His eyes go straight to Arya, who is between Jon and Lady Karstark, who is holding a child in her arms.

Rickon leads them to his older sister, the Lady of Winterfell, and then falls in place beside a young girl about his age.

"Your Grace." Sansa curtseys "It is a great honor to receive you at Winterfell. Please, let me introduce you to my family." 

Bran was sitting in his wheeled chair with his wife Meera Reed beside him. Rickon was holding a grinning Lyanna Mormont's hand. Next was Jon who was looking at Daenerys with the same wondrous look as she was looking at him. And then finally, he didn't have to force himself not to look at Arya anymore.

She really looked beautiful with her grey fur cloak and the delicate wolf pin. She only gave him a small smile but he could see her eyes dancing with as much emotion as his were. He couldn't stop looking at her, unable to pay attention when Alys Karstark was introduced.

"I want you to meet someone." He had missed that voice so much...

Alys handed Arya the baby she had been holding and Gendry felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He wondered how he could have ever thought that this blue-eyed child, that looked so much like little Stannis, could be Bran Stark's child. 

Arya held the child closer to her breast and moved so that he could see the boy better.

"This is Orys Stark. My son."

Gendry just stood there in shock. Too afraid to move or open his mouth, afraid that he would just grab and kiss her sensless in front of all these people, afraid to scream at her in rage for not letting him know, afraid that he would take the beautiful boy in his arms and never let go of him. And Arya was looking at him as if she wanted him to do all those things.

Jon and Alys stood there awkwardly, aware of what was happening between them but not knowing what to do to deflect the attention. It was Dany who finally broke their moment, before anyone else could notice what was going on. As King and Queen they couldn't risk to make a scene in front of everyone. Dany touched his arm lightly, just to bring him back and smiled sincerely at Arya.

"He is very beautiful, lady Arya. I bet he brings you so much joy."

"That he does, Your Grace." she looked up to Daenerys, deeply thankful for her understanding.

They were shown to their rooms and the servants helped them to get settled.

"You knew." Gendry said once they were alone "Why didn't you tell me?"

It wasn't accusing. He just felt stupid for not seeing the signs.

"I didn't mean to hide it from you, if that's what you believe. I was afraid you would do something rash without thinking it through. And since we were coming here anyway, I thought you would rather find out from Arya herself than me."

He nodded solemnly.

"What are we going to do now..?" he sat down on the bed feeling defeated.

If he couldn't forget about Arya before, how was he supposed to forget now?

"We will have enough time to worry about that. But for now I will check on Viserion and have a long talk with Jon Snow. And you..." she came to sit beside him and lifted his head for him to look at her "You are going to spend as much time as you can with your girl and enjoy your son."

"...my son..."

 _'My son with Arya...'_ He still couldn't believe it. 

He suddenly hugged her fiercely.

"Thank you, Dany." he whispered into her hair "Thank you so much."

They had a great feast that night. Summer had finally come and the North had much to celebrate.

The Great Hall was booming with sounds of music and laughter and people were eating and dancing everywhere, but Gendry had only eyes and ears for Arya and their child.

She was chatting amiably with lady Alys a little further down the table trying as hard as him not to glance for too long. The two women could almost pass as sisters and you could tell they got along very well. Alys noticed Gendry looking at Arya again and whispered something in her ear and took the babe from her arms. Arya stood up and walked over to his end of the table.

He was too aware of how her skirts brushed against his back as she passed to him to wish good night to Sansa, Daenerys and Jon beside him. She was going to retire to her chambers and put little Orys to bed.

"Do you want me to escort you?" Jon offered but she dismissed him.

"No need to bother." Gendry shuddered as he felt two discrete fingers graze his nape purposefully. "Nymeria is waiting outside." 

She went back to Alys to take Orys and said good night to the rest of the table, and then she was off.

He forced himself to wait for a few minutes and then left after her, hoping that nobody would notice him.

He felt stupid after he left the Great Hall, standing there alone in the hallway. He had never been to this castle and he had no idea where Arya's chambers were located.

He saw Nymeria staring at him expectantly from the corner and then she ran off. He followed her all the way up to a half opened door. He peeked inside quickly to make sure this was the right room and closed the door after him.

"Took you long enough." She was smiling mischievously at him beside the crib, Orys falling asleep in her arms.

He locked the door and crossed the room to them.

Arya looked almost shy now with him standing so close, unsure of what he would do. He softly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and kissed her once, twice and then deepened the kiss, taking care not to wake the little bundle she was holding.

He slowly pulled back and looked down at his son.

"Do you want to hold him?"

Of course he wanted to. He'd been dying to do so since he first saw him.

Orys stirred as Arya put him carefully in his father's arms, but he didn't wake.

A smile spread on Gendry's face as he ran his fingers over the black tuft of hair.

"He looks so peaceful..."

"He is a very good boy, only cries when he gets hungry. I guess he has that from you. Everybody says I was a true horror as a baby."

Gendry snorted at that and Arya smiled at him.

"...I've missed you..." she confessed quietly.

"I've missed you too..." he pulled her in for another kiss "There were weeks when there was no sign of you, I thought something bad might have happened to you."

She squeezed his hand caressing her cheek.

"I wanted to tell you so bad, but I was afraid someone would find out and try to hurt me. I couldn't risk have anyone after me in my state. I was too afraid to lose Orys."

He kissed her again, pressing his forehead to hers when they parted.

"Why did you do it, Arya?"

He just needed to know why she would pretend that she was alright with them going different paths and then decide to have his child, she who always said she never wanted to get married nor have children.

"Because I'm too selfish..." He could almost see tears in her eyes. "And if I couldn't have you, at least I would have a part of you with me."

He kissed her fiercely this time, slinging his free arm around her waist to pull her as close to him as he could. She sneaked her fingers through his hair trying to bring him even closer.

They broke apart a little breathless as Orys protested for being pressed between his parent's bodies and so disturbing his sleep.

"Maybe we should put him to bed before we start ripping each other's clothes off." Gendry chuckled and handed him over to Arya. "It should be another hour before he gets hungry."

He kissed her again hungrily as soon as she tucked the babe in his crib, tugging insistently at the laces of her dress, hating how it was taking him too long to get the damned thing off her. He felt her smile against his mouth and guide his hand under her skirt, running it slowly up her soft thigh until he felt the sharp bite of a dagger. He groaned at how she could look like this proper, innocent lady and yet be this fierce, dangerous woman.

He took the dagger and made quick work of the dress, cutting the laces and ripping it open.

"I should bloody your nose for that." she gasped between kisses "I rather liked that dress."

"This one suits you much better." he breathed as he got rid of her last piece of clothing.

His clothes were next.

Her quick fingers easily opened the first five buttons of his doublet but then she decided to just pay him back and rip the rest of them open, as his hand working between her legs made it too difficult to concentrate on the small things.

She pulled him back with her by his necklace and they both fell naked on the bed.

It was something desperate and needy, trying to catch up all the time they had spend apart. His hands grabbing her hips too tight, her nails and teeth sinking deep into his flesh, and he was thrusting so hard it was almost painful, but she met each stroke with as much enthusiasm, needing to feel him deep inside her. 

He collapsed on top of her after they came together, kissing softly the angry bite mark he left on her neck in all the frenzy. She stroked his sweaty back as their breathing calmed down, loving how heavy his warm body felt on top of her. He gave her one last deep kiss before rolling off her and pulled her closer to him under the furs.

Gendry was playing with Orys as Arya got dressed after feeding him. He couldn't stop staring at how beautiful he was, with those deep blue eyes hidden behind long eyelashes and his longish, chubby-cheeked face crowned by the fluffy black hair.

He was just perfect.

He was pretty hefty for his age but still looked like such a little thing in his big arms.

"He looks so small..." he didn't even look up, just continued smiling at Orys.

"You try saying that next time I have to push one of these out of my body." Arya threatened playfully as she climbed back into the bed.

"Will there be a _next_ time?" Gendry couldn't help but feel hopeful at that. _'Maybe a little girl with steel-grey eyes...'_

Her expression slightly changed and she looked at him for a moment. 

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" There was a strange look in her eyes. "For me to fill Storm's End with little black-haired boys and girls?"

It was almost as if she was daring him to tell her now that this was what he was expecting of her.

"I would love it even if it was just you and me and Orys."

That must have been the right answer for she relaxed again and scooted closer.

"Good..." she smiled and gave him a wet kiss "Because I would like to give Orys a little brother or sister." he smiled as she kissed him again "But first we have to get Jon and Daenerys together."

That couldn't be too hard. Jon and Dany had been making eyes at each other all night.

"Now..." she gave him a mischievous smile "If you put Orys back in his crib," she leaned in and nipped at his lower lip "we could start practicing for then."

Gendry got up with a speed he didn't even know he possessed and tucked an already asleep Orys carefully under his blanket. When he turned around, Arya was already out of her nightgown and she was biting her lip. He just knew she had been ogling his bare butt.

 _'Good...'_ He would gladly give her all the practicing she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sad it is over! :'( But I think everything turned out pretty well in the end...
> 
> This was going to be a simple, sweet, fluffy ending, but Arya and Gendry insited they dererved a little smut.
> 
> I originally planned to leave the ending more open, with Gendry staying with Dany for duty and hinting that he would get together with Arya a few years later, with more than just Orys as a result of his 'trips to the North'. Arya didn't want to play along though... She insisted that she would not just wait for him to come along and play his stupid mistress.  
> I think everyone is happier with this outcome.
> 
> I want to make clear, in case it isn't, that Arya was hoping to get pregnant all along when she spend the night with Gendry at Storm's End, in case he would decide to keep Dany.
> 
> This is the longest story I've ever written and I'm kinda proud how it turned out.  
> English is not my first language and I really had to struggle in some scenes to make them right.  
> But it was fun!!
> 
> I hope you all liked it and thanks for reading!!!


End file.
